Apparatus for feeding coiled filaments



June 30, 1959 L. PITYLER ET AL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING COILED FILAMENTS Filed Aug. 9. 1955 Invervtors: LesLie P. Tyler, Lee E. Dilfks, fla f Theiv A t vneg.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING COILED FILAMENTS Leslie P. Tyler, Pomona, Calif, and Lee E. Dilts, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 9, 1955, Serial No. 527,343

2 Claims. (Cl. 221-211) Our invention relates to apparatus for feeding coiled filaments and filamentary cathodes for electric lamps to filament mounting machines, and more particularly to apparatus for feeding such coiled filaments into mounting machines in timed relation to the automatic operation thereof.

The apparatus according to the invention is especially adapted to the feeding of coiled filaments, such as incandescent lamp filaments and discharge lamp cathodes, of the type which have a coiled center or main portion and laterally extending legs or end portions. Such type coiled filaments, while light in weight and subject to tangling, are nevertheless of a form which adapts them to be handled and maintained in oriented position by mechanical means. A specific filament of the above described type is the filament which is commonly used in auto headlamps and is mounted upon a pair of leads by the mounting apparatus disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,297,950, Flaws, issued October 6, 1942, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

It is an object of our invention, therefore, to provide apparatus for feeding coiled wire filaments of the character referred to in correspondingly oriented positions into an automatically operating mounting machine.

, Another object of our invention is to provide apparatus adapted to retain a succession of coiled wire filaments of the character referred to in correspondingly oriented feeding relation to a mounting machine.

Still another object of our invention is to provide escapement means in combination with a filament storage ramp for effecting the separation of single filaments from the succession of filaments collected on the ramp, and for feeding the single filament thus separated in a correspondingly oriented position to the mounting machine.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, the coiled filaments are selected and placed in the feeding apparatus of our invention, either manually or mechanically, so as to be disposed in succession in a straddling position upon or astride a downwardly inclined feed track or storage ramp. One form of mechanical feeding mechanism suitable for placing or loading the filaments on the feed ramp in the above described manner is that disclosed in co-pending Dilts application Serial No. 530,712, filed on August 26, 1955, which application is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The filaments are arranged with the coiled main. portion thereof resting upon and extending across the top surface of the feed track or ramp, which has a width approximately co-extensive with the length of the coiled portion of the filaments, and with the end leg portions of the filaments extending down along the opposite sides of the feed ramp. A stationary guide rod or bar, extending along the feed ramp in overlying spaced relation thereto, keeps the filaments on the ramp from climbing over one another during the course of their downward travel along the feed ramp toward the mounting machine. The forward movement of the filaments v such as to arrange the filaments singly in feeding positions in front of the converging throat or guideway 6 of the down the feed ramp can be efiected either by arranging the feed ramp in a sufiiciently inclined position to cause the filaments to slide downward therealong of their own volition by the force of gravity, or by vibrating the feed ramp as disclosed in the previously mentioned Dilts application so that the filaments progressively accept the forward stroke movements of the vibrations.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the lowermost one of the succession of filaments on the feed ramp is fed therefrom and advanced to the mounting machine during each cycle, of operation of the feeding operation by movement of a transfer, member which moves back and fourth between the lower end of the feed ramp and the filament-receiving position of the mounting machine. lowermost filament on the feed ramp in a notch just large enough to receive one filament only and isolate it from the rest of the filaments on the feed ramp, and the transfer member then carries the lowermost filament to the filament-receiving position of the mounting machine. During its filament transfer stroke, the transfer member continuously blocks the lower end of the feed ramp to thereby prevent movement of the succeeding filaments off the ramp.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following description of a species thereof in position to receiving a filament from the feeding apparatus, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation on an enlarged scale of the escapement end of the feed ramp of the filament feeding apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the filament feeding ap-' paratus according to the invention comprises an inclined feed track or storage ramp 1 on which the coiled filaments 2 are placed in a straddling position thereon, at the upper end of the ramp, and down which the filaments then slide to the lower or escapement end of the ramp. The filaments 2 may be placed or loaded on the feed ramp 1 either manually or by automatically operating means such as that described and claimed in the previously mentioned Dilts application Serial No. 530,712. In the particular case illustrated, an arrangement is shown for manually feeding or loading the coiled filaments onto the upper end of the feed ramp 1.

The manual filament feeding arrangement shown comprises a filament-receiving tray 3 mounted at the upper end of the feed ramp 1 and having a shallow depression 4 for receiving a loose collection of the coiled filaments 2. The filaments 2 are separated out in the tray 3 by an operator and placed one by one on-the upper end of the feed ramp 1 by movement of the filaments through a rectangular shaped opening 5 in the bottom of the depression 4 in the tray, which opening 5 is located directly over and longitudinally aligned with the upper end of the inclined feed ramp 1. The filaments 2 may be conveniently separated in the tray by means of tweezers or some other similar tool, and-are shifted aboutwithin the tray depression 4.in a manner Patented June 30,- 1959.

The transfer member receives the discharge or outlet opening 5 in the tray bottom. The filaments 2 are pushed through the converging throat portion 6 of the tray depression 4 in an oriented position wherein the coiled main portion 7 of the filament is crosswise of the throat 6 and the laterally extending end legs 8 of the filament are in trailing relation to the coiledportion 7. The legs 8 and the ends of the coiled main portion 7 of .the filaments wipe against and are guided by the converging vertical side walls of the throat 6, during their passage therethrough, so as to be aligned with the vertical sidewalls of the opening 5 and the upper end of the feed ramp 1. As shown, the upper end of the ramp 1 is aligned with the opening 5 in the tray and with the filament guiding throat 6 thereof so as to receive the filaments in a pendant position thereon when they are advanced a suflicient distance over the said opening 5 and onto the horizontal top surface 9 ofthe ramp at the upper end thereof, which surface 9 is at the same elevation as and in effect constitutes a continuation of the bottom surface of the tray depression 4. .When the filament 2 is moved into the throat 6 a sulficient distance across the tray opening 5 and across the upper end of the feed ramp 1, the end legs 8 of the filament .drop down between the side walls of the tray opening 5 and the feed ramp 1 so that the filament is then supported on-the upper end of the feed ramp in a pendant position thereon straddling or astride the ramp. Continued movement of the filament 2. through the guideway 6 advances the filament to a position where the coiled main portion 7 thereof passes onto the upper extremity of the downward sloping upper surface 10 of the feed ramp 1 whereupon the filament then slides freely down the ramp by the force of gravity. On its downward travel along the feed ramp 1, the filament 2 passes under the tray 3 and under a guide rod 11 which extends along the feed ramp, in spaced overlying relation thereto, so as to prevent the filaments 2 from raising appreciably off the feed ramp and climbing over one another during their travel down the ramp. As shown, the guide rod 11 is spaced from the upper surface 10 of the feed ramp 1 a distance slightly greater than the outside coil diameter of the coiled main portion 7 of the filaments 2.

For proper operation of the feeding apparatus with the associated filament mounting machine, it is necessary that the filaments 2 be loaded onto the feed ramp 1 by the operator at a rate at least equal to the rate at which the filaments are fed by the feeding apparatus into the mounting machine so as to thereby provide a constant supply of filaments on the feed ramp in readiness for feeding to the mounting machine. In the particular arrangement illustrated, however, no means are provided for controlling or maintaining a regular movement of the filaments 2 down the feed ramp 1 to the lower end thereof, the proper operation of the feeding apparatus depending upon the maintenance of a suitable reserve supply of filaments 2 on the lower end portion of the feed ramp 1 in position for feeding to the mounting machine. The filaments 2 of the reserve supply, as shown in Fig. 4, are in direct contact with and rest against each. other, and are maintained in position on the feed ramp, against falling off the lower end thereof, by the engagement of the lowermost filament on the ramp with esgapement means 12 located at the lower end of the feed e n- As mentioned previously, the filament feeding apparatus, of our invention, instead of being provided with an aniiangeme nt; for manually feeding the coiled filaments onto, the feed ramp. 1, may be provided with mechanical ldading means such as disclosed in the previously mentioned Dilts application Serial No. 530,712, for automatically loading the filaments 2 onto the feed ramp 1. Where such an automatic filament loading arrangement is employed, it is connected to the feed'ramp 1 in the place of the. tray. 3 and it is designed to load filaments onto the feed ramp at a sufliciently rapid rate to maintain a reserve supply of filaments on the lower end of the feed ramp 1 at all times during the operation of the mounting machine.

The escapement means 12 at the lower end of the feed ramp 1 comprises a transfer member or slide bar 13 disposed in a vertically inclined position across and in engagement with the lower end of the feed ramp 1 within an end slot 14 (Fig. 4) therein and longitudinally reciprocable between upper and lower limiting positions within slideways in a block 15 fastened to an upstanding stationary support bracket 16. At their lower ends, the feed ramp 1 and the associated guide rod 11 are fixedly held in proper position relative to one another and to the transfer slide 13 by a suitable clamp 17 fastened to the support block 15. The transfer slide 13 is longitudinally reciprocable to elevate it from a lowered or filament pick-up position to a raised or filament delivery position for pick-up of the filament in the transfer slide by-the transfer arm 18 of the filament mounting machine. In each cycle of operation of the escapement means 12, the transfer slide 13 receives the lowermost filament 2-01! the feed ramp 1 and elevates it to the filament pick-up position of the transfer arm 18 and, after pick-up of-the filament by the transfer arm 18, then returns to its lower position for the start of another cycle of operation.

The transfer slide 13 is provided at its upper end with a filamenbreceiving notch or pocket 19 in the side face or edge 2%) thereof which is contiguous to and in substantial engagementwith the lower end of the feed ramp 1. The notch 19 in the transfer slide 13 is just large enough to accommodate only one filament 2 at a time. As a result, when the transfer slide 13 returns to its lowermost position, wherein the bottom surface 21 of the notch 19 is aligned with the upper surface 10 of the feed ramp 1, only the lowermost filament 2 on the feed ramp slides down into the notch 19, the remaining filaments 2 in the line thereof on the feed ramp remaining in place thereon. Upon sliding of the lowermost filament 2 on the feed ramp 1 into the notch 19 in the transfer slide 13, thesaid filament assumes a definite position with respect tothe transfer slide, with the legs 8 of the filament disposed vertically by reason of the engagement of the leg 8 at one end of the filament with a stop pin 22 projecting from the side of the transfer slide 13.

Because of the upward inclination of both the bottom and side surfaces 21 and 23, respectively, of the filament receiving notch 19, the filament 2 located in the notch 19 is normally retained in position therein during the subsequently occurring movement of the transfer slide 13 to elevate the filament to its pick-up position by the transfer arm 18 of the mounting machine. If desired, however, the filament 2 in the notch 19 may be held more securely in place therein by the provision of means for creating a suction at the base or bottom comer of the notch. To this end, one or more suction ports 24 are provided in the transfer slide 13 which open into the bottom corner of notch 19. The suction port or ports 24 are connected to a suitable source of vacuum through a passageway 25 in the transfer slide 13 and conduits 26 and 27, the conduit 27 preferably being a flexible tube connected to the vacuum supply line. The transfer slide 13 is reciprocated, in timed relation to the operation of the mount machine, by an operating lever 28 which is pivotally connected to the lower end of the transfer slide by a pin 29 projecting from the lever and received within a slot 30 in the transfer slide. When the transfer slide 13 is elevated to its upper limiting position, as indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 3, it is then retained in such elevated position until the filament 2 in the notch 19. is removed therefrom by the transfer arm 18 of the mount machine.

To prevent the line of filaments 2 on the feed ramp 1 from being disturbed thereon by the tendency of "the transfer slide 13 to lift the lowermost filament on the ramp off the latter on the upward stroke of the transfer slide, the guide bar or rod 11 is extended at its lower end to a point over-lying the lowermost filament on the feed ramp so as to hold it down in place on the ramp. For this purpose, also, the angular mounting of the transfer slide 13 relative to the feed ramp 1 is such that the angle subtended by the top surface of the feed ramp and the front or filament-engaging face 20 of the transfer slide, When elevated, is 90 or greater. In addition, the guide rod 11 extends to a point sufliciently close to the filament 2 located in the notch 19 of the transfer slide 13, when the latter is in its lowered position, to prevent the succeeding filaments on the feed ramp 1 from climbing over the filament located in the transfer slide notch 19. To this end, the lower end of the guide rod 11 is located so as to just clear the filament 2 in the transfer slide notch 19 during the upward movement of the filament by the transfer slide 13.

As in the case of the filament transfer device disclosed in the previously mentioned Patent 2,297,950, the transfer arm 18 is provided with means for registering it in predetermined relation with respect to the transfer slide 13 in order to cause the filament 2 in the transfer slide notch 19 to be properly gripped by and positioned in the transfer arm 18. For this purpose, the transfer arm 18 is provided with a locating pin 31 adapted to enter and register with an opening 32 in the support bracket 16 of the escapement means 12 to thereby position the transfer arm 18 so that the filament-gripping jaws 33, 34 thereof are properly located to engage the coiled main portion 7 of the filament 2 on the transfer slide 13, when the latter is in its elevated position. As in the case of the transfer device shown in the aforesaid Patent 2,297,950, portions of the jaws 33 and 34 of the transfer arm 18 straddle the filament supporting means, (i.e. the transfer slide 13) and other cooperating locating fingers 35 and 36 of the jaws 33, 34 engage the legs 8 of the filament 2.

Upon elevation of the transfer slide 13 to its upper limiting position, the cycle of operation of the filament feeding apparatus comprising the invention is then completed by the pick-up of the filament in the transfer slide notch 19 by the transfer arm 18 and the return downward movement of the transfer slide 13 to its lower limiting position. When the transfer slide 13 reaches its lowermost position, the filament-receiving pocket or notch 19 in the transfer slide is then in position to receive the next or lowermost filament 2 in the line of filaments on the feed ramp 1, the line of filaments on the feed ramp moving down therealong to carry the lowermost filament into the notch 19, thus preparing the apparatus for a repeat cycle of operation.

Although a preferred embodiment of our invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the spirit and scope of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for feeding lamp filaments each having a coiled main portion and laterally extending parallel end leg portions, comprising an inclined feed ramp of a width to support the filaments in a pendant position astride the ramp with the coiled portion of the filament resting upon the upper surface of the ramp and the end leg portions of the filament hanging down closely alongside the opposite sides of the ramp, a stationary guide extending along the said feed ramp in overlying relation thereto and spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than the coil diameter of the filaments to provide a confined passageway therefor, said ramp being provided with an upright end slot in its lower end, escapement means located at the lower end of said feed ramp to intercept the filaments thereon, said escapement means comprising a transfer slide having a straight forward side facing the lower end of said ramp and provided at its upper extremity with a notch of a size to receive a single filament only, means mounting the trans fer slide in an inclined position within the said end slot for elevational reciprocating movement in a direction at an angle of at least to the upper surface of the said feed ramp and with the said forward side of the slide in continuous sliding engagement with the lower end of the feed ramp so as to block the movement of the filaments on the ramp off the lower end thereof, said guide extending downwardly of the ramp to a point to overlie the filament on said ramp immediately succeeding the filament resting in the notch of the lowered transfer slide and block downwardly overriding movement of the said succeeding filament onto the filament in the transfer slide notch, said transfer slide having a stop projecting from one side face of the slide beyond the corresponding side face of said ramp in position to intercept and engage a leg of the lowermost filament on said ramp upon sliding movement of the filament off the ramp into the said notch in the transfer slide, said stop being located relative to said notch to approximately vertically position the said engaged leg of the filament received in said notch, and actuating means connected to said transfer slide for periodically elevating it from a lowered filament pick-up position, in which the said notch is located in alignment with the lower end of the feed ramp so as to receive the lowermost filament thereon by downward sliding movement of the filament into the notch, and a raised position to transfer the filament in the notch to a delivery position removed from the remaining filaments on the ramp.

2. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein the said transfer slide is provided with a suction port located at the bottom of said notch and connected to a vacuum supply line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,076 Eppler Mar. 14, 1882 536,560 Ball Mar. 26, 1895 1,370,511 Boercker Mar. 8, 1921 1,986,523 Peck Jan. 1, 1935 2,359,384 Poole et a1. Oct. 3, 1944 2,611,674 Kruse Sept. 23, 1952 2,655,954 Gartner et al. Oct. 20, 1953 2,696,285 Zenlea Dec. 7, 1954 

